Re: "Hardy" FIgs
- Subject: Re: "Hardy" FIgs
- From: T* a* M* R*
- Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2002 15:35:55 +1200
Barry Garcia wrote:
>
> I've become somewhat interested in various species of Figs, mostly just by
> rereading the section on them in Sunset's Western Garden Book. It says in
> the section on them that F. elastica, and F. microcarpa can be grown in my
> zone (17, USDA 9b). It says F. microcarpa is commonly used in the bay
> area. I dont recall seeing these in any of the bay area (San Francisco)
> towns that i've been in, or maybe i'm just not looking hard enough :).
>
> Anyway, so what's the deal with both of these? If F. elastica is hardy
> enough to be grown here in zone 17, does it remain shrub like, or can it
> become a tree? And with F. microcarpa, i saw a picture of one that seemed
> to have become a strangler, enveloping another tree.
>
> By the way, the coolest fig i've seen is the massive F. macrophylla in
> Santa Barbara.
Hi Barry
Though I have seen and admired F macrophylla (Its Australasian common
name ie Morton Bay Fig, I am not personally acquainted with F
microcarpa, but the Botanica description suggests that while it is
smaller than F macrophylla it is still a sizeable tree, topping out at
about 100 feet. It certainly has aerial roots and is doubtless
potentially a strangler.
I have only once seen the definitely less hardy F elastica out of doors
here and that was in the adjacent main valley, in a sheltered shrubbery
where it had obviously been planted out when it outgrew its container.
It was certainly not bushy, but had a single main stem about 8 feet high
from which sprang a light spreading head of branches. It's fate is
obscure as the garden was later extensively reorganized and it
apparently disappeared in the makeover. There have also been a few
extra-heavy frosts in the area over the years and it quite possibly
perished in one of these (The area normally does not go below about -2 C
and that not every year.) Botanica warns it has a very aggressive root
system and should be sited with care..
It seems one should only attempt one of these figs outside a container
if one has plenty of spare garden space.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan
Wainuiomata - at the Southern tip of North Island, NZ,
Lat 41°15'S, Long 174°58'E (Antipodes of Spain/Southern France)
